A Crash Course in Finding Vacant houses and Off Market Property! Josh Cantwell With Christopher Seder SREC Coach

What are my Favorite Source of Deals? Vacant Houses! Designed to Show you how to go out and find the most profitable deals in any real estate market (vacant houses) Why are Vacant Houses so Profitable? Easier to Sell a Vacant House Owners Do not want them Usually need work (can get a better deal)

The Corner Stone: Market Research Market Research is what sets you apart Do it right and you will never struggle to get a deal sold. You need to know your market like the back of your hand. Know exactly what things are selling for in each area.

The Goal in Market Research Find Areas Where there are a lot of Cash Sales or Investor Buyers, Lots of Potential Sellers and a Fair Point (first time home owner areas, good rental areas, working class and middle class) If wholesaling we want to know we can move a property quickly. Its Easier to Find Houses In areas where Investors want to buy ( you can sell a house in 2. 5 minutes) If we are going to buy fix and re-sell we also want to be in an area where there is a lot of activity.

War Zones: You will want to stay away from war zones War Zones: You will want to stay away from war zones. Prices will be very cheap in these areas and you can probably make good money flipping houses in these areas. I will not do business somewhere where I do not feel safe. Working class: The working class neighborhood is our favorite place to do deals. Homes in this area are affordable, have stable neighborhoods, and are safe. Working class is the best place for rentals; you can usually buy houses cheap enough so they will cash flow. Middle Class: These neighborhoods are where a lot of first time home buyers go. They are a great place for rehabbers and wholesalers. High Income: For the beginning investor I recommend you stay away from high end homes. An experienced investor can make hundreds of thousands flipping a high end home, but there is of course more risk involved.

Pull all of the Cash Sales for Your Real Estate Market (or in smaller markets all of the sales) A realtor with MLS access can do this for you http://www.christopherseder.com/pulling-cash-sales/ FindCashBuyersNOW Real Quest Export into Excel Why do you need cash sales? You will sort all of the cash sales in a later step

Cash Sales

Step 4 Mapping Cash Sales

Signs a House is Vacant Weeds/Grass Tall and Dead Vacant Slip in Mail Box No Cars If Snow – No tracks Notices on the Door Nothing Inside the House House is in Disrepair Utility shut off notices Boarded up house Broken windows Power meter and/or gas meter gone

How to Find Vacant Houses There are several ways to find vacant houses. I am going to be talking about a few ways that I feel are the best. When looking for vacant houses you need to work smart and not hard.

#1 Way to Find Vacant Houses Get out in the Field and Search for them

Break it down into 4 to 5 targeted sections

Print out each Section. Remember where you have Drove

Post Note on the Door (don’t be scared) Post a Bandit Sign in the yard Always be searching On your way to work Grocery Store Everywhere Write Down the Address Vacant and fixer upper houses Post Note on the Door (don’t be scared) Post a Bandit Sign in the yard

Google Drive Spread Sheet

15 minutes a day could easily Find You 1 to 2 vacant houses a day

Estate Sales and Probate A lot of time the house is vacant Heirs want to sell the property Probate investing course Call up all of the estate sale companies in your area and see if you can get a list of upcoming sales

Postal Workers Have a list of vacant houses/ vacant slips They drive around all day and know every house that is vacant Pay them $5 per lead Might have forwarding addresses

Foreclosure Inspectors Drive around all month checking on foreclosures (30 days late until foreclosure) Post vacant notices on doors Independent contractors Pay them $5 per lead To find post an ad on craigslist Look for their slips on vacant houses

Get a list of vacant fire damaged houses Fire Department Get a list of vacant fire damaged houses

Land Lord Evictions Get a list at the court house Send a Mailing to these people

Property Scouts Module 6 Focuses on Property Scouts You will learn how to get a street team of people finding vacant houses for you. Why training is KEY

Marketing and Finding Property Owners Marketing is the Foundation of our Business

You Should have your List of Vacant Houses NOW You Should have your List of Vacant Houses NOW! Its time to See who Owns the Property

Looking up Property on the County Tax assessor’s web Site After I have a list of vacant houses I need to find out who owns the property and where to find them. I can see who is the owner on title See a little description about the property (beds, baths, sq ft) I can see how much the taxes are each year

Step 1: Locate your Counties Tax Assessors Web Site.

Step 2: Search Your property

Step 3: Find your property

Step 4: Browse the Property Listing

Create a Google Drive Document

All you really need right now is: Owners Name Mailing Address You can find Phone numbers too!

Common Questions About Looking up Property Owners What if its Bank Owned? Or Owned by HUD? Contact potential listing agent Have them Notify you when property because available for purchase What if the property is in a Trust? Contact the trust by sending them a letter What if the Address does not come up? Call your local tax assessors office

Marketing for Vacant House owners Your List of Houses and Mailing Addresses is Compiled NOW its time to start marketing Marketing is the Foundation of our Business Leads = Deals and Deals = $$$$ Consistency is the KEY Direct Mail is what works for us Vacant Houses #1, Send to Probate, Absentee Owners We use several strategies in our Business

Send them a Yellow Letter or Post Card Here is the best letter I have ever Send Hand Written on Yellow Legal Pad Why does this letter work? Dear, Seller Hi My Name is Christopher Seder And I would like to purchase your Vacant House at 1234 seller lane Please Call (555)555-55555 Thanks, Christopher

Outsource your Yellow Letters YellowLetters.com YellowLettersComplete.com Here is My Process Print them Out (hand written font) Hire a Lady to stuff envelopes and hand address the labels and stamp them 20 cents per letter I send them out (bulk mail permit 23 cents per letter, pre-canceled stamps) Material cost around 18 to 20 cents Costs me around 60 cents per letter

Send a Post Card Click2Mail.com Easy, sent out 4 days 44 cents to send Easy, sent out 4 days Example Next Page! Response Rate 1 to 3 % Better Quality of Callers

Post Card

Follow up process Set up a Google Calendar Schedule Send a Yellow Letter First Send a Post Card 1 month later No Answer From second post card then schedule to give them a call Schedule YOUR VA to call every so often

Track Returned Mail Returned could mean Vacant but no forwarding address

What to do If your Direct Mail Does not work? Use Your Private EYE skills to Track down the Sellers Camp out in the Front yard and wait or Hide in the Bushes

Give them a Call To find a sellers phone number you can search sites like 411.com (free Site) accurint.com ($200 per month) intelius.com ($19.99 per month) Facebook.com Linkedin.com Google – Search people finder Look for obituary, then look for heirs names Yellow pages BigBook.com zabasearch.com

The Burbs Talking to the Neighbors Neighbors have phone numbers Neighbors always know other neighbors business

Lets Review the Process Compile Your List Look up the Owners Mailing Address Send your Yellow Letter Send your Post Card Give the Seller a Phone Call Buy the Property (wholesale, rehab, etc) Make $$$$

ONCE Vacant house sellers call you or you contat them ONCE Vacant house sellers call you or you contat them. You Pre-Screen and Evaluate and start making offers. Go through Joshes 40kFlips Course for the rest of the process

Questions?